Official Web Site of the City of Phoenix

November 28, 2005

Dear Phoenix Retailer:

We wanted to make you aware that new Phoenix City Council ordinances aimed at cutting production of the dangerous drug crystal methamphetamine will take effect on Tuesday, Dec. 6. The ordinances will regulate some aspects of how you sell and display certain common cold and allergy medications containing key raw materials that criminals use to make crystal meth. The actions result from the Crystal Meth Task Force, which we organized to come up with solutions to the widespread problem.

We know the ordinances may lead to minor inconveniences for you and your customers, but hope you agree that the benefits are worth it. Meth is the worst drug plaguing our community right now. Meth use leads to violence and death and it tears neighborhoods apart.

Please visit phoenix.gov/meth to see the full text of the ordinances and other important information. In summary, the regulations will require you to remove all products containing pseudoephedrine or ephedrine from open shelves. Your stores can sell the products at registers or behind pharmacy counters. If the products are displayed on shelves, you may have to forfeit them to police.

Also, your store must ask customers purchasing these products for photo identification and customers must write personal information (name, date of birth, address, quantity purchased) in a log book. We are asking you to fax these pages to our Police Department on a monthly basis. We have included a log sheet with the fax number in this mailing and you can access more of the sheets at phoenix.gov/meth.

If your systems do not allow you to sell these medications at times during your regular store hours, we would ask that, as a courtesy to your customers, you consider letting them know the closest 24-hour pharmacy to your location.

Thank you for helping to make our community safer. If you have any questions, please call Phoenix Police at 602-275-5886.